Geranium plant named ‘KLEPP06124’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Ivy  Geranium  plant named ‘KLEPP06124’, characterized by its compact, outwardly spreading to trailing plant habit; freely branching habit; freely and early flowering habit; semi-double red purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium peltatum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘KLEPP06124’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of IvyGeranium, botanically known as Pelargonium peltatum, and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘KLEPP06124’.

The new Ivy Geranium is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Stuttgart, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new freely-branching and uniform IvyGeranium cultivars with early flowering habit and attractive foliage andflower coloration.

The new Ivy Geranium originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in Stuttgart, Germany in July, 2002 of a proprietary selectionof Pelargonium peltatum identified as code number P 20 028, notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent with the Pelargonium peltatumcultivar Royal White, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. Thecultivar KLEPP06124 was discovered and selected by the Inventors as aflowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollinationin a controlled environment in Stuttgart, Germany in June, 2003.

Asexual reproduction of the new Ivy Geranium by vegetative terminalcuttings in a controlled environment in Stuttgart, Germany sinceSeptember, 2003, has shown that the unique features of this new IvyGeranium are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar KLEPP06124 has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature,daylength and light intensity without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘KLEPP06124’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘KLEPP06124’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofIvy Geranium:

-   -   1. Compact, outwardly spreading to trailing plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Freely and early flowering habit.    -   4. Semi-double red purple-colored flowers.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Ivy Geranium differ primarily from plants of thefemale parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Geranium are more compact than and not as        vigorous as plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Geranium and the female parent selection        differ in flower color as plants.

Plants of the new Ivy Geranium differ primarily from plants of the maleparent, the cultivar Royal White, primarily in flower color as plants ofthe cultivar Royal White have white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Ivy Geranium can be compared to plants of thePelargonium peltatum cultivar Royal Magenta, not patented. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Stuttgart, Germany, plants of thenew Ivy Geranium differed from plants of the cultivar Royal Magenta inthe following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium were more compact than plants        of the cultivar Royal Magenta.    -   2. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium and the cultivar Royal Magenta        differed in flower color as plants of the cultivar Royal Magenta        had purple magenta-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Ivy Geranium, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Ivy Geranium. The photograph is a close-up view of typicalflowers and leaves of ‘KLEPP06124’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in Stuttgart, Germany in 12-cmcontainers in a glass-covered greenhouse during the spring and underconditions which closely approximate commercial Geranium production.During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 16° C.to 23° C., night temperatures ranged from 8° C. to 16° C. and lightlevels ranged from 20,000 lux to 50,000 lux. Plants were about threemonths old when the photograph and the description were taken. In thedetailed description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium peltatum cultivar KLEPP06124.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Pelargonium peltatum identified as code number P 20 028, not            patented.        -   Male or pollen parent.—Pelargonium peltatum cultivar Royal            White, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at            temperatures of 22° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About six days at            temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 16 days            at temperatures of 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 20 days            at temperatures of 18° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant/growth habit.—Compact outwardly spreading to trailing            plant habit, mounding; densely foliaged. Moderately vigorous            growth habit. Freely basal branching habit with about four            lateral branches per plant.        -   Plant height, to top umbels.—About 20 cm to 24 cm.        -   Plant height, to top of leaves.—About 12 cm to 18 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 18 cm to 22 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 5 cm to 6 cm. Internode            length: About 0.6 cm to 1 cm. Texture: Pubescent. Color:            137A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; simple.        -   Length.—About 5 cm to 6 cm.        -   Width.—About 7 cm to 8 cm.        -   Shape.—Reniform.        -   Apex.—Obtuse.        -   Base.—Cordate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Glabrous, leathery.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface:            137A; venation, 137B. Developing and fully expanded foliage,            lower surface: 137B; venation, 137C. Zonation pattern:            Distance from leaf margin: About 1 cm. Width: About 0.8 mm.            Color: 177A. Petiole: Length: About 3 cm to 5 cm. Diameter:            About 3 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Rough. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: 137B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement.—Semi-double rotated flowers arranged in            rounded hemispherical umbels arising from apical leaf axils.            Umbels displayed above the foliage on strong peduncles.            Flowers face upright to outward; flowers slightly cupped.            Flowers not persistent. Flowers not fragrant.        -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; about 12 to 18            flower buds and open flowers per umbel; about seven to nine            umbels per plant.        -   Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In            the garden in Stuttgart, Germany, flowering is continuous            from spring until frost in autumn.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about four to five            days on the plant.        -   Umbel height.—About 8 cm.        -   Umbel diameter.—About 6 cm to 8 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 4 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 1 cm to 2 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm to 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 5            mm to 8 mm. Shape: Elliptic. Color: 137B.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About eight to twelve. Length:            About 2.5 cm. Width: About 1.2 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:            Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color: When            opening, upper surface: 74B. When opening, lower surface:            65C. Fully opened, upper surface: 74D; towards the base,            65D; venation, 74A. Fully opened, lower surface: 65C;            towards the base, 65D; venation, 74B.        -   Petaloids.—Quantity per flower: None to about five. Length:            About 3 mm to 10 mm. Width: About 2 mm to 5 mm. Shape:            Irregularly-shaped. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            velvety. Color: When opening, upper surface: 74B. When            opening, lower surface: 65C. Fully opened, upper surface:            74D; towards the base, 65D; venation, 74C. Fully opened,            lower surface: 65C; towards the base, 65D; venation, 74D.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five, arranged in a single            whorl. Length: About 6 mm to 9 mm. Width: About 4 mm to            6 mm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth. Texture, lower            surface: Rough. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 137B.        -   Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 10 cm to 15 cm.            Diameter: About 6 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle: Mostly erect.            Texture: Slightly pubescent. Color: 137A.        -   Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 2 cm to            2.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong.            Angle: Erect to about 110° C. from vertical. Texture:            Slightly pubescent. Color: 137B overlain with 173A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:            About five. Anther length: About 3 mm. Anther shape: Ovate.            Anther color: 49A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:            33A. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity per flower: One. Pistil            length: About 8 mm to 10 mm. Stigma shape: Tapering;            reflexed. Stigma color: 57C. Style length: About 3 mm to            5 mm. Style color: 57D. Ovary color: 149D.        -   Seed.—Seed development has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Ivy    Geraniums.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have been    observed to tolerate rain, wind and temperatures ranging from about    8° C. to about 31° C. and have demonstrated good garden performance.

1. A new and distinct Ivy Geranium plant named ‘KLEPP06124’ asillustrated and described.